Ross Goodman
Murder is one of the most notable and most violent crimes that can be prosecuted in a court of law. In essence, it is the unlawful killing of a person with malice aforethought, whether intentional or not.
Different states have different definitions for murder and what constitutes it. Here is how the different types of murder are defined in Nevada law.
The most common type of murder charge, first-degree murder involves the willful and intentional killing of another person using whatever tools are available or prepared by the killer. Common examples include shooting, stabbing, or bludgeoning the victim. Causing mass casualties through terrorism or violence in a highly populated area also counts as first-degree murder.
Second-degree murder involves any unlawful killing that, while having a strong intention to kill, was not deliberately or willfully committed. A person may be equipped with something to defend himself or herself during an altercation, but he or she may use that weapon during an argument and unintentionally kill whoever they were arguing with.
Felony murder is on the same level as first-degree murder, but instead of being a direct form of murder, the act is instead committed as a consequence of another crime taking place. For example, a person being robbed may be killed by accident while being threatened at gunpoint. Another example would be a rape victim being intentionally killed by the perpetrator to remove any evidence of the act taking place.
